The Secrets of Newberry [Large Print] [Hardcover]

The Secrets of Newberry opens up in 1955 and readers are immediately introduced to Hampton and Bones in a scene that sets the stage to Bones and Hampton's odd relationship. Victor McGlothin does an excellent job of drawing a picture of that time period in south Louisiana. The town of Newberry is filled with secrets that can easily get a man (or woman) killed. McGlothin is without a doubt an excellent story teller. This has to be his best book to date. If I didn't know beforehand, I would have thought this was a true story instead of a book filled with made up characters. I look forward to reading more books like this by Victor McGlothin.

There are secrets worth killing for. And there are secrets worth keeping in order to prevent killings. Victor McGlothin's new novel, "The Secrets of Newberry", is rife with both types of secrets.

Set in the 1950s, in Newberry, a small town near New Orleans, Louisiana, McGlothin weaves a tale where the chief secrets center on the white man's lust for black flesh. No matter what shape, size, or age of the black flesh, the white men in this novel can't get enough of it. In order to keep the peace and to prevent violence, the abused and molested Blacks remain quiet about their encounters; sometimes out of shame and fear, other times out of pride and love.

Hampton Bynote is a black man in his early 20s trying to forget his own past while trying to deal with life as a black man in the deep Jim Crow south. His experience growing up as good friends with the son of the white plantation owner of the land his family sharecrops on, and his own take-no-stuff attitude, makes Hampton feel he deserves to be treated equal to Whites. He displays his defiance against the Jim Crow laws through violence and petty crimes against Whites.

Hampton's schemes and misdemeanors evolve into felonies when he runs into Ivory "Bones" Arcineaux, a white man, at an illegal gambling house. Bones convinces Hampton to join him in burglary scheme where they rob rich Whites and give to themselves. Hampton is fine with stealing, but Bones has something more vicious and dastardly in store for those they rob, and when Hampton finds out what Bones is really up to, he begins to have second thoughts.

All this is going on while the secrets of the White man's craving for black flesh are being unraveled in Newberry. Hampton discovers more than he ever wanted to know about the sexual practices of his mother and sister, and the lengths they would go to keep their secrets secret from the men folk. In the past, there was a violent uprising of black men once they learned of how black women were used sexually by the white masters, and of course the white men didn't want another one, yet they couldn't let go of their secret lust of flesh. So the white men convinced the women it was in their best interests to remain quiet about their affairs; and the black women consented willingly.

McGlothin is a wonderful storyteller and is able to transport the reader into the 1950s with use of language. The characters - and even the narration - speak straight from the era, with the fast talking, slang-filled dialogue that increases the book's realism and enjoyment factors. Hampton is a great character, especially when he falls in love with the equally marvelous character Magnolia, and the suffering they endure in order to keep their love pure, honest, and without secrets.

McGlothin perhaps extends the novel longer than it needed to be, taking it into the `70s. The novel lost a bit of its charm during the transition, and the events within the later part of the book seem to be a reach to connect readers to sexual abuses more familiar in contemporary times. The book didn't need this extension; nor does the addition take away from the brilliant story. "The Secrets of Newberry" is definitely a must read.

Reviewed by A. Jarrell Hayes
Book Review Editor
The Black Urban Times (online)

Wow, what a story. I couldn't put this one down, it was so intriguing. I really liked Hampton and wanted to see everything turn out ok for him, even though he kept getting himself into trouble.

The story was really well written. Hampton is looking for something more than life on a plantation can offer a black man in the 1950s. Things seem to be going fairly well for him and then he meet Bones. Bones becomes Hampton's ticket to the life he wants while at the same time being the one thing that can take Hampton's dreams from him.

The story moves pretty fast, and at times I felt a bit too fast. Some things just seemed to me that they needed to simmer a bit more before coming to conclusion. There was a lot that happened in the story though and I think that's part of why everything moved so fast. Had it been a slow story it either would have been too long to hold my attention or it would have been missing so many pieces.

It was a pretty good story and I really enjoyed it. I really didn't want to put it down because I wanted to see how Hampton was going to get him (and his family) out of the binds that they've gotten into. While things don't always go the way Hampton planned he was pretty quick on his feet and was able to at least put band-aids on the situations that arise.

I liked Hampton and really wanted to see good things for him. I also liked Magnolia (Hampton's love interest). But I think my favorite character was Pearl Lee, see just seemed to be so level headed. Although she does have some moments when her heart takes over and she throws that level-headedness out the door.

A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher. This is not a paid review and is a truthful and honest review.

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